SOLICITOR Andy McDonald has emerged as the man who could be Middlesbrough’s next Labour MP.

SOLICITOR Andy McDonald has emerged as the man who could be Middlesbrough’s next Labour MP.

The former Middlesbrough councillor was chosen as Labour’s candidate for the vacant seat.

Mr McDonald said he felt "overwhelmed and humbled" after being picked from a shortlist of five candidates hoping to become the town’s next MP.

They were all bidding to replace the late Sir Stuart Bell who died last month following a short battle against pancreatic cancer. The 74-year-old was only told he had the disease 12 days before it took his life.

An initial shortlist of six candidates had been announced by the Labour Party but one withdrew.

Mr McDonald had already come close to securing a Labour candidacy after battling for the Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland seat in 2010, before losing out to Tom Blenkinsop.

After emerging victorious yesterday, Mr McDonald said it was "the chance of a lifetime".

Just minutes after the announcement, he told the Gazette: "I am overwhelmed and humbled by the support I have received. It has been absolutely magnificent. I am a Boro lad and this is one of the proudest moments of my life."

His fellow hopefuls included Joe Docherty, former chief executive of Tees Valley Regeneration.

The other candidates were Amina Ali, Emma France and Ed Malcolm.

There had been a sixth candidate, Rotherham councillor Mahroof Hussain. But Mr Hussain is understood to have withdrawn to concentrate his efforts on the now vacant Rotherham seat.

That vacancy arose following the resignation of Denis McShane following the latest expenses scandal.

The five candidates were each allowed to speak for five minutes and then answer questions. At the end of the selection process, party members voted for their top choices.

After all the votes were counted Mr McDonald, billed as "the local choice", emerged as the winner.

He described it as "one of the proudest moments of my life".

He said: "It is an exhilirating challenge and I am ready for it. As a local lad it is the chance of a lifetime."

He said the work would begin straight away, saying: "I can’t wait for the campaign to start."

Asked what he he had to offer the people of Middlesbrough, he said: "I have got to be a voice for them so it is understood in Westminster just how these draconian Tory policies impact on ordinary peoples’ lives."

He said this economy needed to be regenerated and he would "leave no stone unturned" in his efforts to achieve this.

"I will give it my all. We start the campaign with immediate effect."

Gresham ward councillor Tracy Harvey said she thought he would make "a great MP".

"Certainly the people in my ward have been very supportive of Andy.

"That is what people are wanting now - local people to be the MP in their town."

Councillor Bob Kerr reckoned Mr McDonald would be "a campaigning MP", adding it was "a good day for the town".

One of the hopefuls, Amina Ali, was gracious in defeat. She said Mr McDonald would make "a fantastic MP" for Middlesbrough

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